Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Ad Campaign Calls For Government To Bring In Bottle Deposits

Ad Campaign Calls For Government To Bring In Deposits On Beverage Containers

The Kiwi Bottle Drive is launching an ad campaign today, to encourage the government to immediately implement a beverage Container Return Scheme.

Every year 1.3 billion beverage containers end up either littered or landfilled in Aotearoa New Zealand. This is more than half the total number of drinks put on the market, and equivalent to around 30 times the size of the Beehive.

A key solution to our rubbish crisis is a 20-cent refundable deposit on all beverage containers.

A well-designed Container Return Scheme would more than double New Zealand’s beverage container return rate, from the current rate of around 40%, up to 85% or even higher. The result would be less landfilling, less litter, more high-quality recycling, more green jobs, and the potential to wash and reuse more bottles too – like in the old days.

“We already know that 83% of New Zealanders and 90% of local councils, as well as organisations like Coca Cola and the New Zealand Beverage Council, support the introduction of a nation-wide beverage Container Return Scheme,” said Olga Darkadaki, Campaigner at the Kiwi Bottle Drive.

Local councils stand to make significant gains under an effective container return scheme, which could see collective savings in the tens of millions each year.

“The government already has a comprehensive proposed scheme specifically for Aotearoa, having funded a design process throughout 2019 and 2020. All that is now required is for the government to take the next step and agree to making this scheme a reality in New Zealand through law,” added Darkadaki.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“Rather than winding up on beaches, roadsides and in landfills, bottles and cans will be collected and made available for good quality recycling or better yet, reuse,” added Darkadaki.

New Zealand is lagging behind other countries when it comes to Container Return Schemes. Such initiatives are commonplace throughout Canada, Europe, and increasingly, Australia, which will have a scheme in all states by 2023.

Countries with Container Return Schemes see far higher return rates than countries without schemes, and much lower rates of litter. For example, Germany’s scheme, operational since 2002, achieves a return rate of 98%. 
 

“We can’t afford to let these massive quantities of valuable recyclable materials simply become rubbish and marine pollution. Adopting a national Container Return Scheme with a 20-cent deposit on beverage containers is essential. We urge the government to act and call on the New Zealand public to help us push the government to do this,” said Darkadaki.

The public can show their support for a comprehensive Container Return Scheme for Aotearoa by sending an email to Environment Minister, David Parker through the Kiwi Bottle Drive website www.kiwibottledrive.nz

 

  1. For further information see:
  2. Ministry for the Environment submission on a Container Return Scheme, 29 May 2020: https://www.parliament.nz/resource/en-NZ/52SCEN_EVI_82413_EN21264/8f767e705cd07343bbc977d1f832d2542880d892
  3. Report of the Environment Committee, February 2021: 3ba37322d74a46d2ebb5e70c29bc53aee0d01986 (www.parliament.nz)
  4. Open letter to Environment Minister David Parker, co-signed by the Kiwi Bottle Drive and 63 more organisations in support of a comprehensive CRS, April 2021: https://bit.ly/2VNyM6F
  5. Happy Returns 2.0: An optimum model for New Zealand’s container recycling scheme, May 2021: https://kiwibottledrive.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Happy-Returns-CDS-Model-V2-FINAL-May-2021.pdf

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.